A workplace grounded in Country, designed for the future of work.

The QUT X Block refurbishment is more than a fitout. Located on Kelvin Grove Campus adjacent to Barrambin, 'the windy place', and oriented toward Mt. Kuta (Mt Coot-tha), the project transforms a 1990s office building into a landmark activity-based workplace - developed in deep collaboration with First Nations design consultancy Blaklash and grounded in the stories, culture and geography of its place.

The spatial planning draws inspiration from Country: open workplace zones face the perimeter to capture views and draw natural light deep into the floor plate, while circulation paths mirror the tracks of the landscape, creating natural gathering points throughout. Colour and materiality do meaningful work. Warm tones and textures evoke Mt. Kuta and native bee honey, while cooler palettes reflect the Melaleuca swamps of Barrambin, giving staff intuitive cues for focus, collaboration and rest. Woven elements by over 20 artists from Bula'bula Arts and Maningrida Arts and Culture bring living cultural practice into the everyday workplace.

Sustainability is embedded at every level. The existing facade and base building fabric were retained to reduce embodied carbon, services were audited and upgraded for performance, and a comprehensive furniture audit ensured existing pieces were reused or recycled. Natural, low-VOC materials support healthier interiors, and rejected balconies were reactivated with planting and outdoor connection. The result sets a powerful precedent for responsible, inclusive institutional refurbishment.